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Sunday 26 January 2014

My New Contouring Companion | Illamasqua's Blush Up Brush

Illamasqua 'Blush Up' Brush | £28.50 | Link | Link

Fellow bloggers and beauty fanatics, let me introduce to you my new partner in crime and latest addition to my make-up brush collection - Illamasqua's 'Blush Up' Brush. After months and months of lusting after the Nars Ita 'Kabuki' Brush (google it - it's a beauty!) and not being able to find it anywhere (honestly...it's like gold dust), I took it upon myself to look for a similar alternative. Brushes like this are quite hard to come across - most contour brushes on the market seem to take on that classic 'dome' tapered sort of shape - but I wanted something a little different from the norm.  Illamasqua's offering seemed like the most similar alternative I could find, and after reading a few reviews about it I decided I'd give it a whirl. 

'Challenging conventional blusher application, Illamasqua's all-new Blush Up Brush has an innovative, ellipse shaped head, designed to tuck directly under the cheekbone. Creating a soft diffusion of colour up onto the cheekbone, combine the Blush Up Brush with your favourite Powder Blusher Duo shades for a look that defines, elongates and slims the face in one simple movement' - (Illamasqua Website)

Now, I've made no secret of the fact I'm a complete contouring obsessive on this blog- so after reading the above information I'm sure it's fairly obvious why I needed this little beauty sitting in my brush pot! The brush is made for sculpting and defining the cheekbones and it fits perfectly along the contour line, making application of powder products a complete doddle. I often find that dome shaped/tapered contour brushes aren't precise enough for me so the shape of this one means that it's easy to get that much desired blended 'line'. The bristles are soft, but quite dense - meaning that the brush isn't overly flexible.  Personally, I find this works in its favour as it makes application more precise without skimping on blending capabilities. A simple sweeping motion in an upwards direction and my contour colour looks perfectly blended and it's so easy to get that much desired airbrush finish. It works amazingly well at sculpting the face and it has completely changed my contouring routine - I think it provides a much more professional finish and is the perfect brush to use when you want that strong 'Kim K' typed contour.

At £28, this baby ain't cheap! But if you're a fan of contouring and want to experiment with a more unique type of brush, it's really worth considering. I'm not usually one to spend a fortune on my brushes but I make an exception with more unique styles like this - it's one I knew I'd get a lot of use out of.  It comes packaged in its own little pouch and the sleek black handle and elegant finish really pull this brush together. I've been using it with some of my Illamasqua powder blushes too and together they really are a complete dream team! Just a few sweeping motions and your blush looks perfectly applied. Needless to say, you do need to be careful not to apply to much powder to the brush - you need to work up the colour rather than going 'full on' with it due to the nature of the bristles and the flat head, but once you've got that knack - you're sorted. Overall - I'm so glad I bought this. If you're a fellow contouring fan and want to try something new then it's really worth a look - it makes it so, so easy to achieve that defined look and I always seem to think my cheekbones look much more sculpted and strong when I've used this compared with the softer finish of a tapered contour brush. Of course, it depends on the look you're going for but it's nice to have that choice between a softer contour and a more defined one.  I bought my brush via ASOS (and grabbed a cheeky bit of student discount to lessen the blow) but it's quite widely available at the moment so if you're interested in snapping one up - it's worth having a little browse about.

Have you tried Illamasqua's Blush Up Brush? Whats your favourite contouring brush at the minute?


29 comments:

  1. I too haven't been able to find the Nars brush anywhere, any counter I've been to have said they don't have it! This looks like a really goodun :)

    Beauty by Alicee xoxo

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  2. this brush looks really unusual, at least I haven't seen one like that yet! and the blushes look so beautiful! :) xx

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  3. This looks great! It reminds me of the NARS contour brush (which I can't seem to find anywhere now?!) and it looks as though it's the perfect shape and size to fit into the hollows of your cheek bones! Love it!
    At £28 I cringed a little inside buuut if it works well, then it's worth it I think :)
    danielascribbles.blogspot.co.uk

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  4. I've often looked at this and wondered what it is like, it sounds very good :)
    Amy x | A Little Boat Sailing

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  5. That looks like an amazing brush for contouring! I currently use RT ♥

    www.j4miejohnston.com

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  6. I have literally been on the look out for a brush like this for about 2 months and I'm so glad your post came up on my bloglovin feed haha, you are my saviour. However I wish it was a little bit less expensive :(

    Also, that peach blush looks lush!

    Carey | www.wonderorwoe.blogspot.com

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  7. This brush looks really cool, I've been looking for a good contouring brush for a while.
    Chloe's Little Nothing

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  8. Seems like a great brush, I love the shape a lot! I need one shaped like this.
    Kallie @ But First Coffee

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  9. This is expensive but it sounds like a great brush! I'll definitely have to look into it!
    xx
    Celina | The Celution | Bloglovin’

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  10. I've been lusting after this for a while now, was undecided whether or not I need it. It's safe to say I shall soon be purchasing this brush after reading your post :D Thanks for sharing!

    Beth, Beauty Thrill

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  11. This looks like a great unique brush, I always contour so going to give this brush a look at next time im near an Illamasqua counter xx

    ~ VISUALCANDY INC

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  12. Oh my gosh I want this so bad!! I'm adding this to my wishlist. I'm sure it will be great since the other things you inspired me to buy were really great purcahses!

    inwiththenew.net

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  13. I was going to say that the shape is similar to the Nars Kabuki brush--seems like you had the same idea! Benefit's hoola actually comes with a brush of similar shape (although with a ridiculously short handle). The shape of this one does seem like it'd be perfect for contour.
    Amber
    Lovely Notions

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  14. You sold this brush to me Beth. As soon as I have the funds for it, I'm going to purchase it quick smart. It sounds perfect for contouring. Thanks for sharing. :) xx

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  15. Such brush porn! I have been drooling over the Nars ITA for ages, so this brush is my savior.

    Lindsey| fairmaquillage.blogspot.com

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  16. this looks like the limited edition mac contouring brush which looks identical to this!!!

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  17. I've been after the Nars Ita brush forever too, and it's impossible to find. This one looks like a fantastic option and absolutely perfect for contour!

    Sarah Lilly
    The Lilly Mint Blog

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  18. This is so nice! Ive always wanted the Nars brush but now I might keep a look out for this :)!

    Berrie-Blogs: Beauty Blog x

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  19. I'm a contouring obsessive! Always looking for new tools to try and this looks amazing - such a precise brush. Definitely need to get my hands on this xx

    Candy Cosmetics | UK Beauty Blog

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  20. This brush looks amazing, but a cheap alternativ would be the brush that comes with a Benefit blush. Also some drugstore brands have some really good flat brushes perfect for contouring.
    Great post - love the blog!!

    Christina ♥♥

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  21. Beautiful photography, really HD!
    exploringwardrobes@blogspot.co.uk

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  22. I have had this for a while and I LOVE it - so amazing for contouring x

    Heather | Of Beauty & Nothingness

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  23. Looks like a great shape but a little tough like it would pack on a load of pigment.

    Check out my post on drugstore staples and supplements for clear skin.

    www.sophschoices.co.uk

    Sophie x

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  24. Hi Beth! Remember me? haha. As always, loved reading your post! I'm finally coming back to blogger world after being away for over a year! Can't wait for your next post! xxx

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  26. that is such a beautiful brush! wish I could afford it haha ;)

    if you've got any spare time I'd be honoured if anyone checked out my first blog post and gave me some feedback!

    josievalerie.blogspot.com

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  27. Thank you! I too have been on the search for the NARS Ita brush, I have even been looking at US sites to see if they have it ship, but nada!

    This looks like a great brush, and I believe it's the same price as the NARS one. I will so be purchasing that one - thanks for sharing, and ending my search :)

    Paula at Beauty Lover xx

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  28. I think I need to save up for this brush! The handle appeals more to me than the nars one, shame about the price though!

    http://www.its-hollie.blogspot.co.uk/

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  29. How these are so stunning. I'll need to go pick some up!

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I always read all of my lovely comments. Make sure you check back as i often reply but if you do have a specific question and want a quicker response then please do email me over at birds.words@yahoo.co.uk or tweet me (@Beth_BirdsWords). Thank you for all your support! x